The Turkish air force and Russia's Air and Space Force (VKS) have carried out their first-ever joint operation, targeting the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL or Daesh) forces in suburbs of Al-Bab city, northeast of Aleppo. The operation took place on January 18, according to Sergei Rudskoi, chief of the Russian Armed Forces' General Staff Main Operational Directorate.

Rudskoi said: "Assets involved in this air operation were nine VKS strike aircraft including four Su-24Ms, four Su-25s and a Su-34, and eight Turkish air force aircraft, including four F-16s and 4 F-4s. Together, we took out 36 targets." All of these targets had been approved by the headquarters and air command of the two countries, and previously monitored by UAVs and by space reconnaissance. Rudskoi said that the strikes had been "highly effective.”

The January 18 operation became possible following signing, six days earlier, of the memorandum between the Turkish Armed Forces HQ and the Russian MoD. According to an official statement, the memo determines “mechanisms of coordination and joint actions of the VKS and Turkish air force when performing strikes on terrorists as well as the order of actions that both sides should follow to prevent incidents when their aircraft or unmanned air vehicles operate in the Syrian airspace."

It is understood that Ankara had asked Moscow for assistance following failed attempts to persuade the U.S.-led coalition in Operation Inherent Resolve to render more active air support for the Euphrates Shield. This Turkish operation was launched on August 24 last year, to eliminate Daesh and Kurdish PKK/PYD bases in the northeast part of Syria's Aleppo province. From there, terrorists and insurgents operated into Turkish territory, so Ankara believes it has the right for self-defense according to the UN Charter Article 51.

Reportedly, Turkey has deployed in Northern Syria approximately 3,000 servicemen equipped with tanks, self-propelled howitzers and armored cars. They fight alongside several thousand gunmen of Turkish and Arab nationalities from military groups under the common umbrella of Free Syrian Army (FSA), which opposes the incumbent Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad. Initially, the operation went well, resulting in the capturing of Jarablos and dozens of smaller dwelling points. The Turkish army and its allies have claimed the elimination of 1,940 Daesh and 315 PYD/PKK gunmen. But since October the advance has been stuck at the frontline of Al-Bab-Qabasin-Siflaniya, which a lesser number of Daesh fighters hold, while inflicting considerable losses in equipment and manpower to the Turkish-FSA forces.

The Turkish jets have been bombing Al-Bab area since September 19, when the Euphrates Shield commanders announced it as the next point for the ongoing offensive. The Turkish Air Force has a large fleet of F-16s and some 30-50 F-4E Phantom II fighter-bombers. But it lacks armored attack aircraft such as the A-10 and Su-25. Moreover, the TAF has been weakened by the purge of the Turkish Armed Forces following the failed military coup last July. Reportedly, more than 350 pilots and 40 technicians had been dismissed, detained, put on close watch or otherwise relieved from active duty.